Apparatus for performing work on the internal wall of piping



Oct. 15, 1963 l. T. LANDRUM l-:TAL 3,106,735

APPARATUS RoR PERFORMING woRx oN THE INTERNAL WALL 0F PIPING 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. ll, 1960 Oct. 15, 1963 l. T. LANDRUM ETAL 3,106,735

APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING woRK oN THE INTERNAL WALL oF PIPING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. ll. 1960 Oct. 15, 1963 Filed Feb. 11. 1960 l. T. LANDRUM ETAL APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING WORK 0N THE INTERNAL WALL 0F' PIPING 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 15, 1963 Filed Feb. ll, 1960 l. T. LANDRUM ETAL APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING" WORK ON THE INTERNAL WALL OF PIPING 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 15, 1963 l. T. LANDRUM ETAL 3,106,735

APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING woRK oN THE INTERNAL wALL oF PIPING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. ll, 1960 United States Patent O 3,106,735 APPARATUS FR PERFORMING WRK N THE INTERNAL WALL F PIPENG lra T. Landrum, Sherman C. Kennedy, Harry N. Shanklin, Russell Cummins, Loren l.. Steward, @liver L. Boulware, Wilfred H. Kleypas, and Dan W. Evans, Hobbs, N. Mex., assigner-s to Shirlow Corporation, Hobbs, N. Mex., a corporation of New Mexico Filed Feb. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 8,634' 17 Claims. (Ci. S-ltlm) The present invention relates to apparatus for performing work on the internal wall of piping land has for an object the provision of 'fa device of this kind 'by the use of ywhich the internal wall of piping can be cleaned, polished and coated with a suitable paint or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an lapparatus of this character which can he used in pipe line already in service whether above or underground Ias well yas upon pipes that are to be placed in service.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus tot this kind which is `self-contained and will travel `through the pipe line under the influence of la duid under pressure which normally flows through the pipe line.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this type in which means are provided ladjacent the trailing end of lthe `apparatus against which a portion of the iluid under pressure is adapted to impinge to exert a pushing force on the apparatus and means are Ialso provided adjacent the leading end of the apparatus against which a second portion of the fluid under pressure is adapted to impinge to exert a pulling force on the apparatus `and in which the :second portion of the fluid flows in irictional contact with the outer surface or" the apparatus to increase the combined moving yforce of the fluid on the apparatus. The eeot of having a pulling force on the apparatus as a part of the total moving force exerted on the apparatus is to provide better control of the lapparatus as it moves through the piping.

The present invention `also 'has for lan object the provision `of an appanatus Afor performing work on the internal Wall of piping including working tool mean-s and means for operating the working tool means: which are actuated by the uid under pressure ilowing Within the pipe line.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus of this kind .which during its passage through the pipe line accommodates itself to the bends and curves of the pipe line.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of an :apparatus of this character which is free o-t' :all electrical devices or spark producing devices so that the apparatus can be safety used in pipe lines which convey natu-ral gas or the like without any danger of igniting or causing an explosion of the natural gas in the pipe lure.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will fbe hereinafter more fully described and more particularly pointed out in the yappended claims.

in the drawings in which the same parts yare denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the several views:

FiGURE l is a diagrammatic View of the apparatus constructedin accordance with the invention I'and shown as in use in piping;

FlGURE 2 is an enlarged side eleva-tional View with parts in section;

FEGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional View of one part of the apparatus;

FGURE 4A is Ian enlarged sectional view of another part of the apparatus;

FiGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional View of the cutting material container;

FIGURE y6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 5;

.FlGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged .sectional view of the turbine governor shown in 'a position different from that of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is Ia sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FiGURE 3;

FEGURE 10 is a vertical sectional View with parts in section `and with parts lbroken away of a cleaning yapparatus constructed in Vaccordance with the present invention;

FGURE 1l is a sectional View taken on the line lil-dl of FIGURE `lt), Iand FGURE l2 is a sectional 'View taken on the line .l2-d2 of FIGURE l0.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l0 indicates a pipe line or piping through which ia fluid under pressure normally ilows. This duid may be natural gas or the like under press-ure and the pipe may be located above the surface yof the ground or under the surface of the ground. A valve ll .is provided lfor controlling the iiow of the duid into .the piping lli. The upstream end of the piping l@ is provided 'with la removable capi or cover l2. Downstream the piping l0 is provided with an exhaust or outlet `for the iiuid owing th-rough they piping which exhaust or outlet is indicated at 13 and is provided with 4a removable fcap or cover i4.

For the purpose of performing work on the internal Wall of the pipe :lilthere is provided, in accordance with the present invention, an appauatus which is adapted to be propelled automatically through the piping 10 by the :force of the duid under pressure which normally flows through the piping 10.V This apparatus is a selfcontained structure comprising a plurality of units. These units `are diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE `l of the drawings 'and comprise ya spray head generally indicated at l5, a turbine generally indicated 1at 16, a metering :device generally indicated at 17, a liquid coating material container generally indicated at 18, a pressure regulator generally indicated at 19 and a container or tank for containing a gas under pressure generally indicated 'at 2li.

The spray head 'l5 comprises a dish-shaped member 2l having a forwardly extending boss 22 provided with a screw-threaded socket 23 with which communicates threaded openings 24 for the reception of fastening ele ments 25 such yas Ailcn head screws. The bos-s 22 is provided with a restricted passageway 26 which communicates at its forward end with the inner end of the socket 23 and at its rear end with a recess or space 27 formed in the bottom of the dish shaped member 21. The rear dish faced surface of the member 21 has ixed thereto a plurality of radially extending angularly spaced apart vanes 28 the outer free edges of which terminate substantially flush with theV outer peripheral edge of the member 2l. The inner radial edges of the vanes 28 terminate at points 29 to define the recess or space 27. The rear portions or" the radially inner ends of the vanes 23 carry a hub 30 provided with an aperture in which is fix-ed a threaded bolt 3d which extends rearwardly beyond the member 2.1i. The radially extending vanes 28 form therebetween spaces or pockets 32.

Cooperating with the dish shaped member 21 is asubstantially flat disk 33 provided with a rearwardly eX- tending boss 34. The disk 33 and boss 34-are provided with a screw threaded passageway 35 so that the disk 33 may be adjustably mounted on the bolt 31 so as to be able to selectively vary the distance between the outer 3 peripheral edge of the member 21 and the rear edges of the vanes 28 so as to accommodate in the space 36 formed therebtween coating materials of various viscosities. The disk 33 is held in its selected position by a lock -nut 37 which is received by the free end portion of the bolt 31 which extends outwardly beyond the boss 34.

The turbine y16 comprises a casing 38 which may be made of metal or any other suitable material and is illustrated as being circular in cross section. The casing 38 is supported in the piping 10 by a pair of discs or anges 39 and 40 which encircle the casing 38 adjacent the leading end portion and the trailing end portion of the casing. Each of the flanges 39 and 48 are made of rubber or other suitable material and each is provided with a centrally disposed opening so that they may be engaged over the outer surface of the turbine casing 38. Each disk 39 and 48 is circular in cross section and has a tight fit with the turbine casing 38. Each disk 39 and 48 is secured in position by being affixed to a circular flange 41 which may be formed integral with or secured to the outer surface of `the casing 38 as by Welding or the like and which extend outwardly therefrom. Each flange 41 is provided with a circumferential row of apertures and each disk 39 and 48 is also provided with a circumferential row of apertures which are brought into alignment with the apertures in thc flanges 41 so that bolts 42 may be passed therethrough. Nuts 43 are secured to the outwardly extending end portions of the bolts 42 and washers 44 are interposed between the rubber disk 39 and 48 and the head of each bolt 42 so that the disk 39 and 40 are clamped between the flanges 41 and the washers 44. As the turbine casing 38 moves downstream in the piping 10, that is in the direction indicated by the arrow `45 in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the peripheral edge portions 46 of the disk flanges 39 and 40 will assume the backwardly bent or inclined position illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 of the drawings so as to have frictional contact with the internal surface of the piping 18 to form a fluid seal therewith and to support the turbine casing 38 in the piping 10.

A diffuser generally indicated at 47 is mounted within the turbine casing 38 adjacent the upstream or trailing end portion thereof. The diffuser 47 comprises a hub 48 from which outwardly radiate a plurality of vanes 49. The radially inner ends of the vanes are secured to the hub by welding or in any other appropriate manner and the radially outer end portions of the vanes are secured as by welding or the like to rings 58 and 51. The ring 51 is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced apart lands 52 each of which is provided with a screw threaded socket 53 which receives a set screw 54 which also passes through a suitable threaded opening in the turbine casing 38 so that the diffuser is anchored or aixed to the turbine casing 38 so that it does not have relative rotative movement therewith.

A hollow turbine shaft 55 is supported in the turbine casing 38 at the upstream end by bearings 56 and at its downstream end by bearings 57. The bearings 56 are supported by a bearing support member comprising a hub 58 which encircles the turbine shaft 55 at the upstream end of the casing 38. A plurality of angularly spaced apart arms 59 extend radially outwardly from the hub 58 and the outer radially free end portions of the arms engage the inner face of the casing 38. r{he outer radial edge of each arm 59 is provided with a screw threaded socket 68 which receives a set screw 61 which also extends through an appropriate opening in the casing 38. The bearing 56 is sealed in and held in position by a seal 62 which is secured to the hub 58 by a plurality of bolts 63 which extend -through appropriate openings in the seal 62 and engage in threaded sockets 64 formed in the hub 58.

The downstream bearing 57 is supported by a bearing support member 65 which is similar in structure to the bearing support member for the upstream bearing 56 and comprises a hub 66 surrounding the downstream end portion of the turbine shaft 55. A plurality of arms 67 radiate outwardly from the hub 66 and are provided with screw-threaded sockets 68 for receiving set screws 69 which also extend through suitable openings in the turbine casing 38. A seal 70 for retaining the downstream bearing 57 in position is secured to the hub 66 by a plurality `of bolts 71 which extend through appropriate openings in the seal 78 `and are received by screw-threaded sockets 72 formed in the hub 66.

The upstream end portion of the shaft 55 extends beyond the upstream end of the turbine casing 38 and has its upstream end part exteriorly screw-threaded as indicated at 73 for reception by the screw-threaded socket 23 formed in the boss 22 of the dish-shaped member 21. The fastening elements 25 engage against the threaded portion 73 of the shaft 55 to assist in retaining the spray head 15 on the shaft 55' for rotation therewith.

Downstream `of the diffuser 47 a turbine 74 is keyed as at 75 to the turbine shaft 55 for rotation therewith. The turbine 74 comprises a hub 76 on which are mounted blades or vanes 77. The blades 77 extend radially outward from the hub 76 and a ring 78 is secured to the outer free radial ends of the blades 77.

Downstream of the turbine 74 is a governor ygenerally indicated at 79 for controlling the speed of the turbine 74. The governor 79 comprises a cup-shaped member 88 having a hub 81 provided with a plurality of screwthreaded passageways 82 for the reception of set screws 83 for aixing the member 80 to the turbine shaft 55 for rotation therewith. The cup-shaped member houses a pair of centrifugal cam members or sections 84. Each cam section is substantially semicircular and comprises a circumferential groove 85 defined by radially outwardly extending flanges 86. The sections 84 complement one another to provide a substantially circular ring and the sections are held together by a circular coil spring 87 which is seated in the ygrooves 85 of the sections 84.

The surfaces 88 of the sections 84 which face upstream are `cam surfaces adapted to cooperate with the downstream facing cam surface 89 of a cam member 90 which is keyed to a tubular extension 91 of the cup-shaped rncmber 88.

The outer race of a ball bearing 92 is affixed to the upstream face of the cam member 98. A disc 93 has a hub 94 extending from substantially the center portion thereof in an upstream direction. At its upstream end portion the hub is provided with a circumferential groove 95 for receiving the free end portions 96 of crank arms 97 carried by shutters or blades 98. The straight portions 99 of the crank arms 97 extend through passageways 188 formed in a pair of complemental rings 181. The passageways are formed by semi-circular recesses provided in the contacting edges of the complemental rings 181.

rl`he disc 93 and the hub 94 are provided with suitable alined openings so as to receive the downstream extending hub 182 of a ring 103. The hub 182 extends upstream a short distance and has secured to this upstream extended portion a ring 104. A plate 185 is provided with outwardly radially extending apertured arms 186, the apertures of which are in alignment with suitable apertures in the rings 181, 103 and 184 for the reception of bolts 187 for securing these rings together.

A ring 188 is secured against the inner face of the turbine casing 38 radially outward of the shutters 98 by means of screws 189 or the like which arc received through appropriate openings in the casing 38 and screwthreaded Sockets 118. The ring 188 cooperates with the shutters 98 in preventing outward radial movements of the shutters and the shouldered portions of the crank arms 97 of the shutters 98 cooperate with the inner surfaces of the complementa] rings N1 in restraining outward radial movement of the shutters.

The arms 106 are suita iy apertured to receive therethrough bio-lts 111 which extend into screw-threaded sockets 112 formed in the upstream facing surface of the ring 1118 for securing the plate 1115 to the ring 1113.

Adjacent its outer peripheral edge, the disc 93 is provided with three angularly spaced-apart openings 113 for receiving the hooked ends 114 of coil springs 115. The opposite end of each spring 115 is also hooked as at 116 which hooked ends are received through suitable apertures formed in the upstream ends of adjusting threaded bolts 117. The downstream threaded end portions of the bolts 117 extend through suitable passageways formed in the enlarged portions 118 of brackets 119 formed integraily with or secured to a downstream extending tubular portion 120 of the seal 70. The =bolts 117 are held in their desired adjusted positions by nuts 121 and lock nuts 122.

The downstream end portion of the tubular portion 121)l is exteriorly screw-threaded for receiving the internal screw threads, as indicated at 123, yof a reducer 124. The downstream end portion of the reducer 12d is of smaller inside diameter than its upstream portion and it is interiorly screw-threaded to receive the external screw threads, as indicated at 125', of a pipe 126. The downstream end portion :of the pipe 126 is exteriorly screwthreaded as at 127 to receive the interior screw threads of a nipple 12% of the casing 129 of the metering device 17. A shaft 139 is carried by the sides 131 of the casing 129 eccentrically thereof. A hub 132 is keyed as at 133 to the shaft 1311 and a plurality of angularly spaced-apart hollow cylinders or spokes 134. Blades 135 reciprocate in the cylinders 134 and the outer free radial edges of the blades 135 are urged in the conventional manner against the inner surface of the casing 129 by springs carried within the cylinders 13d.

The casing 129 is provided with a discharge opening 136 which communicates with the pipe 126. Substantially diametrically opposite to the discharge opening 135 the casing 129 is provided with an inlet opening 137 which communicates ywith an interiorly threaded nipple 138.

An arm 139 is pivotally carried by an end of the shaft 13d Iand the 'lower free end portion of the arm 139 supports a friction wheel 141i by means of its axle 141. The axle 141 has aflixed thereto a sprocket wheel I112 and the metering device shaft 131B' has afiixed thereto a sprocket wheel 1413. A sprocket chain 1414 is entrained about the sprocket wheels 142 and 145-13. A coil spring 14S has one end attached to fthe arm 139 adjacent the lower end thereof and its opposite end secured in an apertured lug 146 carried by the coating material container 13 for the purpose of maintaining the friction wheel 1li@ in frictional engagement with the 1inner sunface of the piping 1t?.

The nipple 138 receives the exterior screw-threaded portion of a pipe 147 and the opposite end of the pipe 147 is also exteriorly screw-threaded and is received by the interior screw threads of a nipple 148. The nipple 14S is carried by a section 149 of the socket part of a ball and socket joint, generally indicated at 1511. The socket part of the joint 15d` also comprises a section 151. The sections 14? and 151 are provided with circular apertured flanges 152 for carrying bolts 153 and nuts 15d for clamping the sections 149 and 151 together about the bail member 155 of the joint.

The ball member 155 has a tubular extension 156 extending downstream and having alt its downstream end v internal screw threads 157 which receive the external screw threads .i158 yformed on a nipple 159 extending upstream from'the upstream face of a plate 166'. The plate 160 has a discharge opening through which extends a discharge nozzle 161 of a pipe 162 having openings 163 therein. The nozzle 161 extends outwardly beyond the 6 plate 169 and its outwardly extended end portion has external screw threads 164 therein which mate with the internal screw threads 165 formed on lthe downstream end portion of a flexible hose 1661.

The upstream end portion of the hose 1615 is connected to the downstream end portion of a flexible hose 167 by a conventional swivel joint 168. The upstream end portion of the hose y167 has internal screw threads which receive the external screw threads, las indicated at l1169, of a nipple 170y extending inwardly from the upstream end wall of the ball joint section 149.

The plate 160 is removably secured by a plurality of screws 171 to a ring 172 carried by the upstream end Wall 173 of a paint or coating material container 1S. The ring 172 partly covers an opening 17S formed in the wall `173 .and defines an opening 176 which affords access to the interior of the container 18 when the plate 160 is removed `for inserting or withdrawing the pipe 162 and an inflatable bladder 177. The pipe 162 has a vertical part which extends from the nozzle -161 along the inside of the wall 173 and a horizontal part which extends along the side wall 178 of the container E18.

The bladder 177 has tan inlet 179y which extends through a suitable opening in a plate 181Bl similar to the plate 1160 and is connected to a conventional pressure regulator 181 through a conventional ball and socket joint 182 which is identical to the joint 150i. The plate is detachably laffixed by screws 183 to a ring 184 secured to the downstream end wall 185 in an opening 1,86 formed therein.

The pressure regulator 131 has a rigid inlet 187 connected to the container or tank 2t? containing an inert gas under pressure and a exible outlet 18d connected to the connection 13?. and the inlet 1179 of the bladder 177.

Secured to the downstream end of the tank Ztl is a hollow coupling flt having an opening 191i open to the space within the piping 11B. A flange or disc 1911 similar to the member di) is carried by the coupling 189; The disc 191 has a through opening communicating with the interior of the coupling and the interior of the piping downstream of the disc 191.

The downstream end portion of the container 174 is provided with a circumferential row of filler openings 192 closed by removable caps 193. The container 1S is supported by circumferential rows of conventional ball castens 19d which are secured to the container in any suitable manner. The gas tank 201 is supported by the flange 191 and the coupling v1812.

ln the use of the apparatus, the valve 11 will be completely closed in order to shut off the normal flow of the fluid under pressure through the piping 1@ and the cap 12 will be removed from the upstream end of the piping.

Assuming that the container 18l has been filled with the desired liquid coating material and the bladder 177 inflated to the desired pressure inl order to exert feeding pressure on the liquid in the container 13, the apparatus will be introduced into the open upstream end of the piping 10 by inserting the disc or flange `1911 first followed by the tank 2d, the container 1S and the turbine 16 following in that order.

It will be noted that the flanges 39, du and 191 and the ball casters 194i will support the apparatus within the piping 1t) so that the apparatus will befree to have a movement of transition or bodily movement through the piping y1d in a downstream direction, that is, in the direction of the arrow d5 as indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. The cap 12 will now be replaced upon the open upstream end of the piping 11i. The exhaust or outlet 13 has the removable cap `1d removed there- `from and may be located downstream of the valve 11 at the `desired distance which may be as much as three or four miles. The valve 11 will now be opened the desired amount to permit a flow of the gas or other fluid into the piping at the desired pressure which, for example, might be twenty to twenty-tive pounds pressure. A portion of this iiuid under pressure will impinge upon the flange or disc 4t) and another or second portion of this uid under pressure will ilow through the turbine casing 38 and impinge upon the flange or disc 191 at the downstream end of the apparatus. Some of this second portion of the fluid under pressure will also impinge against the upstream end wall of the container 1S and the upstream end wall of the tank 2:9 and also will have frictional or skin engagement with the exterior surfaces of the container 18 and the tank 211. The combined pressure exerted by the iluid upon the iianges 4G and 191 and the container 18 and tank 2i) will be suliicient to move the apparatus bodily downstream through the piping 10.

That portion of the fluid under pressure which flows from the turbine casing 33 can escape through the hollow coupling 189 through the opening in the disc 191 to the exhaust 13 and the outside atmosphere. The speed of the apparatus through the piping 10 can be controlled by the pressure of the fluid admitted to the piping through the Valve 11. The portion of the fluid which fiows through the turbine casing 3S rst flows through the diffuser 47, then through the turbine 74 and the governor 79.

As the uid passes through the turbine 'lli it will impinge upon the blades 77 thereof and rotate the turbine which in turn will rotate the turbine shaft 5S to rotate the coating material spray head 1S; when the speed of rotation of the turbine 74 exceeds a predetermined amount the governor 79 comes into operation to reduce the speed of rotation of the turbine.

'Ihe circular spring S7 is such a tension that it will resist the radially outward movement of the centrifugal cam members S4 until a predetermined speed of rotation of the turbine has been developed. When this predetermined speed of the turbine is exceeded the centrifugal cam members 84 under the force of centrifugal action will begin to spread or Hy radially outwardly and the cam faces of the members 84 will engage with the cam surface 89 on the cam member 96. Downstream axial displacement of the cam members 84 will be prevented Iby the engagement of the cam members 34 against the bottom of the cup-shaped member Sii. As the cam members 84 move radially outwardly, they will ride over the cam surface S9 of the cam member 96 and cause the cam member 90 to move axially of the turbine shaft 55 in an upstream direction, that is, towards the turbine 74. The cam member 911 in turn will push against the ball bearing 92 and cause the bearing to move axially in the upstream direction which in turn will axially move the disc 93 in the upstream direction. As the disc 93 approaches the shutters 98, the outer peripheral edge portion of the disc 93 will approach and overlap the radially inward portion of the space between the rings 101 and 108 so as to reduce the cross-sectional area of the exhaust from the turbine and thus tend to slow down the rotational speed of the turbine. As the disc 93 moves axially upstream it will rotate the crank arms 97 and hence the shutters 98 so that the shutters will be moved from the dotted line position of FIGURE 8 to the full line position of FIGURE 8 of the drawings. This movement of the shutters from a fully open position in which the shutters are disposed in planes which are substantially parallel to the axis of flow of the fluid from the turbine to positions in a plane which is or rather approaches a plane which is almost at right angles to the axis of flow of the tluid, will reduce the cross-sectional area of the exhaust outlets from the turbine so that the speed of rotation of the turbine will be materially reduced. The springs 115' can be adjusted so as to counteract the camming action of the centrifugal cam members S4 until a predetermined speed of rotation of the turbine has been reached. When the turbine has slowed down to the desired speed the springs will return the disc 93, the bearings 92 and the cam member 9G in a downstream axial direction so that the shutters will be moved towards their fully open position and the cross-sectional area of the exhaust outlets from the turbine will be progressively enlarged to permit ythe turbine to increase its speed.

As the turbine shaft 55 rotates it will rotate the coating material spray head 15 at the desired speed so as to properly atomize t'ne coating material and to throw it through centrifugal force upon the internal wall of the piping 10 so as to coat the internal wall of the piping with the coating material to the desired depth. As the apparatus moves bodily downstream in the direction of the arrow 4S in the piping 10, the friction wheel 140 will be held in frictional engagement with the internal wall of the piping 10 by the spring 145 and through the sprocket wheels 141 and 143 and the sprocket chain 144 will rotate the shaft 130 of the metering device. The metering device will rotate anticlockwise, that is, in the direction of the arrow 195 as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. The rotation of the shaft will rotate the blades and the coating material which is delivered to the metering device by virtue of the pressure of the bladder 177 on the coating material in the container 18 is delivered lin the proper amounts to the pipe 126 from whence it ows through the reducer 124, tubular portion A121), hollow shaft 55 to the spray head 15.

It is predetermined from the condition of the internal wall of the piping to be coated the amount of coating which must be sprayed per linear foot of travel of the apparatus through the piping in order to make certain that this predetermined amount of coating will be measured out by the metering device to the spray head, the relative diameters of the friction wheel and the sprocket wheels 141 and 143 are determined. In this way it is assured that the proper amount of coating material will be fed to the spray head regardless of the linear speed of the apparatus through the piping.

The bladder 177 will be progressively inated by the gas under pressure from the pressure gas container or tank 2.0 as the amount of coating material in the container 18 decreases so that a uniform pressure is exerted upon the coating material to feed it at a constant rate from the container 18 through the nozzle 161, flexible hose 166 and 167 and pipe 147 to the metering device 17. The use of an inflatable bladder 177 for exerting the feeding pressure upon the coating material assures that the feeding of the coating material to the spray head will be accomplished in a steady constant manner without any interruption regardless of the angular position of the tank 20 within the piping 10. This is a very important feature since the rotation or partial rotation of the apparatus in the piping cannot be prevented.

When the apparatus has moved downstream to the position indicated by dotted lines of the disc 191 and tank 20, the apparatus will automatically come to a stop since in this position the second portion of the fluid under pressure which exerts a pulling force on the apparatus will be exhausted to atmosphere through the exhaust 13.

By the time the apparatus reaches the dotted line position indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the supply of coating material in the container 18 will have been exhausted or nearly so and it will be desired to refill the container 18. In order to afford access to the filler openings 192 of the container 18 and the pressure regulator 19 an access opening 196 capped by removable cover 197 will have previously been formed in the earth and the piping 19. The location of this access opening 196 will be determined since it is known that the apparatus will stop two inches downstream of the upstream wall of the exhaust 13 and since the distance from the disc 191 to the filler openings 192 is known it is merely necessary to add the two inches to this known length or distance from the disc 191 to the filler openings and locate the access opening 196 that distance from the exhaust opening 13. Since the container 18 is subject to angular or partly rotative movement a circumferential row of iiller openings 192 are formed in the downstream end portion of the container 18 so that regardless of the angular position of the container i3, at least one of the filler openings will be accessible through the opening 196. The pressure regulator 19 is also accessible through this opening 196 so that previous to refilling the container 18 the bladder 177 may be deflated. After the container iti has been filled with the coating, the pressure regulator i9 will vbe reopened so that the bladder 177 will tbe pi'operly inflated. The provision of the perforated pipe 162 which is disposed between the bladder 177 and an adjacent wall of the container 13 will assure that none of the coating material will be trapped between the bladder and the adjacent wall of the container and that the feeding of the coating material from the container will not be blocked as the bladder is inflated.

After the container has been refilled with coating material, the access opening 196 and exhaust 13 are covered and another exhaust opening is made further downstream in the piping at the desired point and also another access opening 196 is associated with the new exhaust opening.

In FIGURES l through 12 of the drawings are disclosed the mountings for the brushes used in the cleaning and polishing of the internal surface of the piping lil. Three turbine wheels 198, each of which is identical to the turbine 74, are enclosed in a turbine casing 199. The turbine wheels 198 are keyed in axially spaced relation on a turbine shaft 209 which is rotatively supported in bearings 201 which are similar to the bearings 56. Upstream .of each turbine wheel 19S is disposed a diffuser 262 each of which is similar to the diduser 47.

Downstream of the farthest downstream turbine Wheel 198 there is provided a governor 203 which is similar to the governor 79. A supporting pig rubber llange or disc 294 is secured at the downstream end of the casing 199 against an annular ange 205 carried by the casing .1199. The disc 204 is held in position by a plurality of bolts 265 and nuts 297 and a washer is interposed between each nut 207 and the disc 2043-.

At the upstream end of the turbine casing 199 a supporting flange or disc 208 is removably carried by a substantially l -shaped in cross section ring 2tl9 which is detachably secured to the casing 199 by a plurality of screws Zit). The disc 298 is secured to the ring 299 by a plurality of bolts 213i which are received by nuts 2l?. affixed to the ring 269.

An inflatable boot 213 surrounds the casing 199 between the discs 2M and 268. rl`he boot 2.13 is provided with an air inlet valve 2li-i which may be of a conventional type used on inner tubes for automobile tires. The bloot 213 may be positioned upon the turbine casing before the discs 204i and 263 are secured thereto and the Valve 214 extends through suitable openings in the L- shaped rin-g 299 so that the boot may lbe inflated from the outside of the apparatus.

The boot Zi carries circumferential rows of brushes which are arranged at axially spaced points along the boot and the brushes of each adjacent row are angularly staggered so that substantially the entire internal surface of the piping lll is engaged by the brushes. The brushes are indicated at 215 and the bristles thereof may be made of metal or any other desirable material and the bases of the brushes are secured in the boot in any suitable manner as by being vulcanized therewith.

The upstream end portion of the turbine shaft Zeil extends upstream beyond the turbine casing 199 and has atixed thereto in any suitable manner as by sett screws 216 a hub 217. The hub 217 has pivotally connected thereto as at 218 a plurality of angularly spaced-apart links 2&9 which extend upstream from their pivot points 218 and have their upstream end portion-s pivotally connected to the downstream end of brushes 22d, as at 221.

A plurality of links 222l have their downstream end portions pivotally connected as at 223 to the upstream ends of the brushes 22d, and the upstream end portions or" the links 222 are pivotally connected as at 224 to a collar 225 mounted for axial .sliding movement on the turbine shaft 20u. A coil spring 226 is confined between the sliding collar 225 and a downstream fixed abutment 227. The abutment 227 is secured to the turbine shaft 2Gb by set screws 223. A cushioning spring 229 encircles the shaft 200 and is disposed between the sliding collar 225 and an upstream iixed abutment 230 which is secured to the shaft by set screws 231.

in the use of the cleaning apparatus, illustrated in FIGURES l0 through l2 of the drawings, the apparatus is inserted into the piping 10 in the same manner as that described with the coating apparatus in lFIGURE il of the drawings. The fluid under pressure (which in the case of the cleaning apparatus may be liquid which normally flows through the piping) will impinge upon the dises Ztli to move the apparatus through the piping and the fluid under pressure will pass through the turbine wheels i9@ to notate the same and the shaft 200.- When the shaft Zitti reaches the desired rotative speed, the brushes 22d under :the influence of centrifugal force will cause the brushes to ily radially outwardly into engagement with the inner wall of the piping i@ against the action of the spring 226 which normally moves the links 2.19 and y2522 to the collapsed full line position illustrated in FlGURE lil of the drawings. As the apparatus moves downstream through the piping the brushes 22d will clean off the dirt and scale fno-m the inner surface of the piping and the brushes 2l5 will have frictional axial sliding engagement with the inner wall of the piping to augment the cleaning action of the brushes 22u.

The boot 213 will be inflated to the desired pressure in order to hold the brushes 215 in tight fiictional engagement with the inner wall of the piping, to prevent bodily movement of the apparatus through the piping until a suicient pressure is built up to operate -the turbine wheels at the desired speed of rotation before the apparatus starts to move through the piping. The governor 263 will act in the same manner as the governor 79 to control the iio-tative speed of the turbine wheels 1%. When the cleaning of the piping has been completed, the supply of the fluid under pressure will be cut off and as the speed of rotation of the shaft Zilli decreases, the :spring 225 will come into play to collapse the links 222 to withdraw the brushes 220 inwardly away from the sides of the piping. At this time the cushion spring 22,9 will act as a cushion or absorber to prevent the sudden snapping back of the collar 2215 to its ooi lapsed position. f

instead of using the fluid under pressure normally' conveyed through the piping, a compressor may be used to pnoduce the fluid under pressure for moving the apparatus through the piping and for rotating the turbine.

Although we have disclosed herein the best form ofk the invention known to us at this time, we reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

-What we claim is:

1. For use with piping through which a fluid under pressure ilows, having a valve controlled inlet for said iiuid and an outlet for the fluid downstream of the inlet, an apparatus for performing work on theinternal wall of the piping and adapted to be disposed entirely within the piping between the iiuid inlet and outlet when the inlet Valve is closed comprising a support adapted to travel through the piping, means on said support adapted to engage the internal wall of the piping to form a uidtight seal therewith, to orient the apparatus intpnoper position in the piping and to prevent rotation of said support and adapted to have the fluid impinge thereagainst when the inlet valve is subsequently opened to move the support through the piping in a downstream direction, said means constituting the sole means for moving the support through the piping, working tool means carried by the support adapted to perform work on the internal wall of the piping, means for mounting said working tool means for rotation relative to sm'd support, and means adapted to be actuated by the fluid for rotating said mounting means and `said working tool means with respect to said support and constituting the sole means for actuating the tool means, means for reducing the effective amount of the fluid on said rotating means for the mounting means and the working tool means so that the speed of rotation of said mounting means and said working tool means is controlled by said tluid reducing means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim l, wherein said working tool means comprises a plurality of brushes.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting means for the working tool means comprises centrifugal means operated by the means for rotating said mounting means for the working tool means.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support comprises a rigid member, an inilatable boot is carried by said support exteriorly thereof, and a set of brushes is carried by said boot and is urged by the boot into engagement with the internal wall of the piping.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the working tool means comprises a turbine adapted to be rotated by the iiuid in the piping and operatively connected to said working tool means, mounting means to rotate said mounting means and working tool means, and a diffuser for the fluid is positioned upstream of the turbine.

6. For use with piping through which a 'liuid under pressure flows having a valve controlled inlet for said fluid and an outlet for the fluid downstream of the inlet, an apparatus for performing work on the internal wall of the piping and adapted to be disposed entirely within the piping between the fluid inlet and outlet when the inlet valve is closed comprising a support adapted to travel through the piping, means on said support adapted to have the lluid impinge thereagainst when the inlet valve is subsequently opened to move the support through the piping in a downstream direction, said means constituting the sole means for moving the support through the piping, working tool means carried by the support adapted to perform work on the internal wall of the piping, means for mounting said working tool means for rotation relative to said support, means adapted to be actuated by the iluid for rotating said mounting means and said working tool means with respect to said support, said means for rotating the working tool means comprising a turbine adapted to be rotated by the iiuid in the piping and operatively connected to said working tool means, mounting means to rotate said mounting means and working tool means, and a diffuser for the fluid positioned upstream of the turbine, said turbine having a shaft rotated by the turbine on which shaft the working tool means is carried for rotation therewith, and governor means for controlling the exhaust from the turbine comprising two cam members carried and rotated by said shaft and iniiuenced by centrifugal force to their operative camming action, said two cam members being in direct engagement with one another.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of said two cam members comprises two complemental substantially semicircular sections inuenced by centrifugal force to their operative camming action and a substantially circular spring engaging said sections to hold them together and to restrain said sections against movement due to centrifugal force until the rotation of said shaft exceeds a predetermined speed.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said governor means also comprises a plurality of shutters angularly arranged around said shaft downstream of the turbine for pivotal movement to positions between a fully open position substantially parallel to the direction of iiow of the exhaust fluid from the turbine and a position approaching a closed position at substantially right angles to the direction of ilow of the exhaust fluid from the turbine to control the volume of exhaust fluid iiowing from the turbine to control the speed of rotation of the turbine, and means are operatively connected to said cam members and to said shutters to move the shutters to their various positions.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said governor means further comprises resilient means connected to said cam members and tensioned to resist the centrifugal force acting on said cam members until such force reaches a predetermined value, and adjustable resilient means tensioned to hold inoperative the means for moving the shutters to their various positions until said centrifugal force reaches a second predetermined value.

it). An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein a disk member is moved by said cam members into the path of the exhaust iiuid from the turbine to decrease the ow of the turbine exhaust to control the speed of rotation of the turbine.

ll. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said working tool means comprises a iiuid coating spray head including a dish shaped member having an inlet for the coating, a plurality of angularly spaced vanes carried by the dish shaped member providing spaces therebetween the radial inner end portions of which communicate with said inlet, a bolt carried by said dish-shaped member, a disk adjustably mounted on said bolt to vary the distance between the disk means and the peripheral edge of the dish shaped member and the free radial edges of the vanes to accommodate coatings of various viscosities discharged by the head, the speed of rotation of the spray lead being controlled by said governor whereby the atomization of the coating material by the spray head is controlled by the governor.

12. For use with piping through which a uid under pressure flows, an apparatus for coating the internal wall of the piping comprising a turbine adapted to be actuated by the fluid flowing through the piping and having a hollow shaft, a spray head carried by and communicating with the interior of the hollow shaft, a casing for said turbine, a container for the coating material in communication with the interior of the hollow shaft, means for placing the coating material under pressure so as to forcibly feed the coating material to the spray head including a container for gas under pressure, means carried by the turbine casing exteriorly thereof adapted to have a portion of the fluid flowing through the piping impinge thereagainst, and means carried by the gas container adapted to have another portion of the fluid iiowing through the piping impinge thereagainst so that the combined force of the two portions of fluid move the apparatus bodily through the piping, said another portion of the iluid flowing through the piping flowing in frictional contact with the outer surface of the coating material container to increase the combined moving force of the liuid on the apparatus, and means including a hollow ball and socket interconnecting said turbine casing and said containers to permit relalative radial and rotative movement therebetween.

13. For use with an elongated container for a liquid having a discharge outlet, means `for feeding the liquid to a point of use comprising an inflatable bladder adapted to be positioned within the container adjacent one elongated wall thereof to place the liquid under sufficient pressure to discharge the liquid through the discharge outlet in any rotative angular position of the container, and a perforated member extending along said one elongated wall of the container and positioned between the 13 bladder and said wall of the container to prevent trapping of the liquid between the bladder and the wall.

14. Means as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a metering device connected to the perforated member for receiving the liquid from the member, and a spray head connected to the metering device.

15. For use with a pipe treating apparatus having a turbine operated by a fluid under pressure having a shaft and a discharge through which the exhaust iluid discharges, a governor adapted to control the volume of the exhaust fluid flowing from the turbine discharge and as a result the speed of rotation of the turbine comprising a cam -operated memlber adapted to be mounted for axial movement on the turbine shaft, a pair of cam elements adapted to be carried and rotated by the turbine shaft and inuenced by centrifugal force to direct camming engagement with one another so that one of said cam elements engages the cam operated member to move it axially on the turbine shaft, an annularly grooved member adapted to be carried by the turbine shaft, a plurality of shutters adapted to be angularly disposed around the turbine shaft and each having a crank arm the free offset end portion of which is engaged in the annular groove on the grooved member so that axial movement of the grooved member will move the shutters from a fully open position substantially parallel to the line of ow of the fluid from the exhaust discharge of the turbine towards a fully closed position substantially at right angles to the line of ow of the fluid from the exhaust discharge of the turbine to reduce the speed of the turbine within the pipe treating apparatus, and means to return the shutters to their initial open position.

16. For use with a pipe treating apparatus having a source of supply of a liquid coating material and a driven shaft, a liquid coating spray head adapted to be rotated by the shaft means for rotating said shaft and said head, said head comprising a dish shaped member having a substantially centrally disposed inlet adapted to be connected to the source of supply ofthe liquid coating material, a plurality of radially extending angularly spaced vanes each secured along one radial edge to the inner face of the dish shaped member and extending substantially to the outer peripheral edge of the member, the lower portion of the radial inner edges of the vanes terminating short of the inlet to dene a space therebetween communicating with said inlet, the upper portions of the radial inner edges of the vanes joining one another to provide a hub provided with an opening therethrough, and a threaded element carried by said hub in said opening, a disk threadedly and adjustably carried by said element a selected distance from the peripheral edge of the dish shaped member and the upper free radial edges of the vanes to accommodate coating materials of various viscosities discharged by the head.

17. For use with piping through which a uid under pressure flows having an inlet for said iluid and an outlet for the uid downstream of the inlet, an apparatus for performing work on the internal wall of the piping comprising a support adapted to travel through the piping, means on said support adapted to have the fluid impinge thereagainst to move the support through the piping in a downstream direction, a fluid coating material spray head carried by the support adapted to spray the coating material on the internal wall of the piping, a metering device on the support, means for feeding the coating material to the metering device, and means adapted to be actuated by the travel of the support through the piping for causing the metering device to feed constantly to the spray head a predetermined amount of coating material per linear foot of travel of the apparatus through the piping regardless of the speed of travel of the support through the piping comprising a wheel adapted to be rotated by engagement with the wall of the piping as the support travels through the piping and gearing interconnecting said wheel with said metering device, the relative diameters of the wheel and gearing being predetermined.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 901,940 Andrews Oct. 27, 1908 922,999 Appenbrink May 25, 1909 928,863 Greenan et al July 20, 1909 2,098,857 Buckingham Nov. 9, 1937 2,100,587 Chalker Nov. 30, 1937 2,281,918 Constant ,et al. May 5, 1942 2,447,966 Stephens Aug. 24, 1948 2,5 76,197 Stephens Nov. 27, 1951 2,604,647 Stephens July 29, 1952 2,792,807 Cummings May 21, 1957 2,847,020 Anderson et al Aug. 12, 1958 2,859,728 Hobdy Nov. 11, 1958 2,865,541 Hicks Dec. 23, 1958 2,887,118 Leotier et al May 19, 1959 3,004,278 Stanley Oct. 17, 1961 3,058,137 Doyle et al Oct. 16, 1962 

1. FOR USE WITH PIPING THROUGH WHICH A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE FLOWS, HAVING A VALVE CONTROLLED INLET FOR SAID FLUID AND AN OUTLET FOR THE FLUID DOWNSTREAM OF THE INLET AN APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING WORK ON THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE PIPING AND ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED ENTIRELY WITHIN THE PIPING BETWEEN THE FLUID INLET AND OUTLET WHEN THE INLET VALVE IS CLOSED COMPRISING A SUPPORT ADAPTED TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE PIPING, MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT ADAPTED TO TO ENGAGE THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE PIPING TO FORM A FLUIDTIGHT SEAL THEREWITH, TO ORIENT THE APPARATUS IN PROPER POSITION IN THE PIPING AND TO PREVENT ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO HAVE THE FLUID IMPINGE THEREAGAINST WHEN THE INLET VALVE IS SUBSEQUENTLY OPENED TO MOVE THE SUPPORT THROUGH THE PIPING IN A DOWNSTREAM DIRECTION, SAID MEANS CONSTITUTING THE SOLE MEANS FOR MOVING THE SUPPORT THROUGH THE PIPING, WORKING TOOL MEANS CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT ADAPTED TO PERFORM WORK ON THE INTERNAL WALL OF THE PIPING, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID WORKING TOOL MEANS FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED BY THE FLUID FOR ROTATING SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND SAID WORKING TOOL MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORT AND CONSTITUTING THE SOLE MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE TOOL MEANS, MEANS FOR REDUCING THE EFFECTIVE AMOUNT OF THE FLUID ON SAID ROTATING MEANS FOR THE MOUNTING MEANS AND THE WORKING TOOL MEANS SO THAT THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND SAID WORKING TOOL MEANS IS CONTROLLED BY SAID FLUID REDUCING MEANS. 